Short-yardage / goal-line · enumeration
Who gets the tough yard
6/17Inside-5 share
6 of the team's 17 inside-the-5 carries (35.3%).
Carson Hansen
Rushing yards374130th of 278 running backsLast gameW 31–17vs Purdue · Oct 31
Nextat WashingtonSat Nov 7 · 3:30 pm ET
- touchdown
Purdue · W 31-17
17 carries, 96 yards, 1 TD
The other 7 games average 40 yards. This one was 56 above.
Dashed line: 100 yards.
This week
- RecordPenn State is 4-4.
- Fans after Purdue
If Carson Hansen starts next week, I'll burn the program down
Penn State fan
- Next gameat Washington · Sat Nov 7
What’s being said
9 stories in the last 60 days, from 7 outlets.
Penn State CB Josiah Zayas, RB Carson Hansen off injury report ahead of Michigan
The Daily Collegian Oct 15
Worth knowing
- Carson Hansen was second-team All-Big 12 in 2025 at Iowa State.
His most important play this season
31% of the carries, 32% of the yards, 36% of the touchdowns
- Carries31%89 of 289
- Yards32%374 of 1,185
- Touchdowns36%5 of 14
Share of the team's rushing yards, game by game
No bar in a game where the team had under 100 rushing yards: a share of that little says nothing.
Who carried it
- Carson Hansen374 yards, 89 carries, 5 touchdowns
- Cam Wallace260 yards, 44 carries, 3 touchdowns
- James Peoples246 yards, 57 carries, 2 touchdowns
- Quinton Martin Jr.160 yards, 31 carries, 1 touchdown
- Rocco Becht78 yards, 55 carries, 2 touchdowns
- 7 others67 yards
Share of the team's total this season.
Most of his carries go up the middle
102030405042
leftmiddlerightno spot
a carry, up for a gain and down for a lossa touchdown
Each line is one carry: taller means more yards, and a line pointing down lost yards. Black lines are touchdowns. The play text only says left, middle or right, so inside each lane the carries are lined up shortest to longest, not placed. Of his carries with a spot in the play text: left 13, middle 63, right 11. His longest went for 42 yards.
Carson Hansen
On Trialas of Nov 4
Carson Hansen arrives at Penn State with a new fit to prove and an old chapter closed.
374rushing yards5rushing TD89carries
Rushing value per play
+0.20
our model · 2026 · 74 plays
Penn State fans keep putting the player's case on trial, week to week.
medium confidence10 sources
Minority viewA vocal minority sees it the other way.
Read the story so far
AI-generated narrative · may contain errors · not journalism · updated 2026-11-04
Style of play
Style of play
Play style
Just keeps getting the ball, series after series.
Similar players
Closest statistical matches, adjusted for opponent strength.
In the news in the last 60 days
from 7 outlets
Penn State CB Josiah Zayas, RB Carson Hansen off injury report ahead of Michigan
The Daily Collegian Oct 15 · 1 outlet
In the news this season
from 10 outlets
Only Carson Hansen Until Penn State Football
Black Shoe Diaries +1 Aug 15 · 2 outlets
All 3 articles
Black Shoe DiariesOnly Carson Hansen Until Penn State FootballYahoo SportsOnly Carson Hansen Until Penn State Football - sports.yahoo.comBlack Shoe DiariesOnly Carson Hansen Until Penn State Football
What they’re talking about
Awards and watch lists2 stories
- Black Shoe DiariesPenn State’s Top 10 Players for 2026: Carson HansenAug 10
- The Daily CollegianPenn State RBs Carson Hansen, James Peoples named to Doak Walker Award watch listAug 18
Starting job and depth chart2 stories
York Daily RecordCarson Hansen breaks down the Penn State running back roomAug 7
Locked OnWould Benching Carson Hansen Fix Penn State's Run Game?Sep 16
Week by week
- Oct 29 to Nov 4W 31-17 vs PurdueNo stories
- Oct 15 to Oct 21L 18-21 at Michigan1 story
- Oct 8 to Oct 14L 23-31 vs USC1 storyPenn State RB Carson Hansen, DE Yvan Kemajou probable for game against Michigan The Daily Collegian
- Oct 1 to Oct 7L 13-34 at NorthwesternNo stories
- Sep 24 to Sep 30L 20-24 vs WisconsinNo stories
- Sep 17 to Sep 23W 55-13 vs Buffalo1 storyPenn State's Carson Hansen rushes for a 12-yard TD, extending lead vs Buffalo in the 3rd quarter
FOX Sports - Sep 10 to Sep 16W 27-9 at Temple5 storiesStock up, stock down | Benjamin Brahmer scores, Carson Hansen’s struggles continue The Daily Collegian
- Sep 3 to Sep 9W 45-0 vs Marshall1 story
- Aug 20 to Aug 26No game1 story
- Aug 13 to Aug 19No game2 storiesOnly Carson Hansen Until Penn State Football Black Shoe Diaries +1
- Aug 6 to Aug 12No game2 storiesPenn State’s Top 10 Players for 2026: Carson Hansen Black Shoe Diaries
Each week: his team’s game, the stories about him that week, and the week’s biggest news headline.
What was said at each stop
Stories we tracked, by school.
Penn State14 stories2026 to now
Most about: awards and watch lists, starting job and depth chart, in his words.
- Black Shoe Diaries +1Only Carson Hansen Until Penn State FootballAug 15
All 3 articles
Black Shoe DiariesOnly Carson Hansen Until Penn State FootballYahoo SportsOnly Carson Hansen Until Penn State Football - sports.yahoo.comBlack Shoe DiariesOnly Carson Hansen Until Penn State Football - York Daily RecordCarson Hansen breaks down the Penn State running back roomAug 7
- Black Shoe DiariesPenn State’s Top 10 Players for 2026: Carson HansenAug 10
- The Daily CollegianPenn State RBs Carson Hansen, James Peoples named to Doak Walker Award watch listAug 18
Yahoo SportsPenn State’s Matt Campbell updates status of Carson Hansen, Zion Tracy, more key playersAug 25
Iowa State1 story2023 to 2025
Most about: profile and feature.
- York Daily RecordA new top Penn State football running back? Get to know Carson HansenJun 12
In the news across his career
Stories are headlines grouped by what they are about, counted through Nov 4.
What fans said
Fans first named Carson Hansen vs Marshall.
- How much fans talked in a game against the usual
- The usual, named once in the key
- A fan first, numbered by kind (1 first named)
- The game fans talked about most
vs Purdue, Oct 31Why is Hansen out therePenn State fan, r/CFB game thread
at Michigan, Oct 17Please stop running Carson Hansen up to middle ffs you dumb pieces of s---Penn State fan, r/CFB game thread
vs USC, Oct 10I HATE YOU HANSEN I HATE YOU HANSEN I HATE YOU HANSENPenn State fan, r/CFB game thread
Named in
- Penn State CB Josiah Zayas, RB Carson Hansen off injury report ahead of Michigan
- Penn State's Carson Hansen rushes for a 12-yard TD, extending lead vs Buffalo in the 3rd quarter
- Would Benching Carson Hansen Fix Penn State's Run Game?
- Stock up, stock down | Benjamin Brahmer scores, Carson Hansen’s struggles continue
- Carson Hansen Says Penn State Offense Has ‘A Lot More’ to Show
Where to follow
Career stats
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Penn State | 89 | 374 | 4.2 | 5 | 42 |
| 2025 | Iowa State | 187 | 950 | 5.1 | 6 | 65 |
| 2024 | Iowa State | 151 | 752 | 5.0 | 13 | 57 |
| 2023 | Iowa State | 22 | 67 | 3.0 | 0 | 12 |
| Career | 449 | 2,143 | 4.8 | 24 | 65 |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Penn State | 6 | 45 | 7.5 | 0 | 10 |
| 2025 | Iowa State | 19 | 134 | 7.1 | 0 | 22 |
| 2024 | Iowa State | 13 | 88 | 6.8 | 2 | 24 |
| 2023 | Iowa State | 11 | 115 | 10.5 | 0 | 35 |
| Career | 49 | 382 | 7.8 | 2 | 35 |
Last game (Wk 9): 96 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD, 1 catch.
Game log
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 8 games
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 45-0vs Marshall | 11 | 48 | 4.4 | 0 | 10 | |
| Wk 2 | W 27-9@ Temple | 19 | 84 | 4.4 | 0 | 13 | |
| Wk 3 | W 55-13vs Buffalo | 5 | 37 | 7.4 | 1 | 16 | |
| Wk 4 | L 20-24vs Wisconsin | 4 | 11 | 2.8 | 0 | 6 | |
| Wk 5 | L 13-34@ Northwestern | 4 | 19 | 4.8 | 1 | 8 | |
| Wk 6 | L 23-31vs No. 19 USC | 14 | 28 | 2.0 | 1 | 7 | |
| Wk 7 | L 18-21@ Michigan | 15 | 51 | 3.4 | 1 | 8 | |
| Wk 9 | W 31-17vs Purdue | 17 | 96 | 5.6 | 1 | 42 | Season-high 96 yds |
| Total | 89 | 374 | 4.2 | 5 | 42 |
The latest game
Oct. 31 · W 31-17 vs Purdue, play by play
17 carries for 96 yards and a touchdown, his most this season. He converted a 4th and 1 with the score tied 14-14.
- 1 went 10+ yards
- 0 stopped at or behind the line
- 3 moved the chains
- 1 catch for 9 yds
- First quarterbegan tied 0-0
- 3 for 501
- Second quarterbegan up 14-7
- 4 for 9, 1 rec, 1 TD23
- Third quarterbegan up 21-14
- 4 for 16
- Fourth quarterbegan up 24-14
- 6 for 21
- FinalW 31-17
a carry, by its yardsa loss, below the linea catcha touchdown
- 1
42-yard run. First quarter, tied 0-0.
- 2
9-yard catch on 3rd and 4. Second quarter, tied 14-14. Converted.
- 3
1-yard touchdown run on 4th and 1. Second quarter, made it 21-14.
The season, game by game
L 18-21 at MichiganOct. 1751 yds15 carries, 1 TD
15 carries for 51 yards and a touchdown.
- 0 went 10+ yards
- 1 stopped at or behind the line
- 3 moved the chains
- 1 catch for 4 yds
- First quarterbegan tied 0-0
- 5 for 241
- Second quarterbegan up 3-0
- 4 for 52
- Third quarterbegan up 3-0
- 1 for 5
- Fourth quarterbegan down 14-3
- 5 for 17, 1 rec, 1 TD
- FinalL 18-21
a carry, by its yardsa loss, below the linea catcha touchdown
- 1
8-yard run. First quarter, tied 0-0.
- 2
2-yard run on 3rd and 3. Second quarter, up 3-0.
1020304050
leftmiddleright
a carry, up for a gain and down for a lossa touchdown
Each carry is a stem from the line, in the lane the play text names, sorted shortest to longest. The play text only says left, middle or right, so inside a lane marks are sorted, not placed.
6 more games, with the play by play
L 23-31 vs USCOct. 1028 yds14 carries, 1 TD
14 carries for 28 yards and a touchdown. He converted a 4th and 1 with Penn State down 31-23.
- of the 13 carries drawn:
- 0 went 10+ yards
- 3 stopped at or behind the line
- 3 moved the chains
- 1 catch for 10 yds
- First quarterbegan tied 0-0
- 4 for 12
- Second quarterbegan tied 7-7
- 2 for 3, 1 TD1
- Third quarterbegan tied 17-17
- 4 for 10, 1 rec23
- Fourth quarterbegan down 24-20
- 3 for 134
- FinalL 23-31
a carry, by its yardsa loss, below the linea catcha touchdown
The per-play feed is missing 1 of his carries (-10 yards), which the play text shows; the chart draws the 13 carries it has.
- 1
No gain. Second quarter, down 14-7. Fans named him again and again right after: the most-talked-about moment of his game.
“Just make Peoples the RB and Hansen the FB Like this should be so hard”Penn State fan, r/CFB game thread
- 2
10-yard catch. Third quarter, tied 17-17.
- 3
3-yard run on 3rd and 4. Third quarter, down 24-20. Converted.
- 4
5-yard run on 4th and 1. Fourth quarter, down 31-23. Converted.
1020304050
leftmiddleright
a carry, up for a gain and down for a lossa touchdown
Each carry is a stem from the line, in the lane the play text names, sorted shortest to longest. The play text only says left, middle or right, so inside a lane marks are sorted, not placed.
L 13-34 at NorthwesternOct. 219 yds4 carries, 1 TD
4 carries for 19 yards and a touchdown.
- 0 went 10+ yards
- 0 stopped at or behind the line
- 2 moved the chains
- 1 catch for 9 yds
- Second quarterbegan down 10-0
- 3 for 17, 1 TD1
- Third quarterbegan down 24-7
- 1 for 2
- Fourth quarterbegan down 31-7
- 0 for 0, 1 rec2
- FinalL 13-34
a carry, by its yardsa loss, below the linea catcha touchdown
- 1
8-yard touchdown run on 3rd and 1. Second quarter, cut it to 10-7. Fans named him again and again right after: the most-talked-about moment of his game.
“Why is carson hansen staring at me like that”Washington State fan, r/CFB game thread
- 2
9-yard catch on 3rd and 4. Fourth quarter, down 34-13. Converted.
1020304050
leftmiddlerightno spot
a carry, up for a gain and down for a lossa touchdown
Each carry is a stem from the line, in the lane the play text names, sorted shortest to longest. The play text only says left, middle or right, so inside a lane marks are sorted, not placed.
L 20-24 vs WisconsinSept. 2611 yds4 carries
4 carries for 11 yards.
- 0 went 10+ yards
- 1 stopped at or behind the line
- 0 moved the chains
- First quarterbegan tied 0-0
- 3 for 5
- Second quarterbegan up 3-0
- 1 for 61
- FinalL 20-24
a carry, by its yardsa loss, below the linea catcha touchdown
- 1
6-yard run on 3rd and 13. Second quarter, up 17-0.
1020304050
leftmiddleright
a carry, up for a gain and down for a lossa touchdown
Each carry is a stem from the line, in the lane the play text names, sorted shortest to longest. The play text only says left, middle or right, so inside a lane marks are sorted, not placed.
W 55-13 vs BuffaloSept. 1937 yds5 carries, 1 TD
5 carries for 37 yards and a touchdown.
- 2 went 10+ yards
- 0 stopped at or behind the line
- 3 moved the chains
- First quarterbegan tied 0-0
- 2 for 6
- Second quarterbegan up 17-3
- 2 for 191
- Third quarterbegan up 34-6
- 1 for 12, 1 TD
- FinalW 55-13
a carry, by its yardsa loss, below the linea catcha touchdown
- 1
16-yard run. Second quarter, up 20-3.
1020304050
leftmiddleright
a carry, up for a gain and down for a lossa touchdown
Each carry is a stem from the line, in the lane the play text names, sorted shortest to longest. The play text only says left, middle or right, so inside a lane marks are sorted, not placed.
W 27-9 at TempleSept. 1284 yds19 carries
19 carries for 84 yards.
- of the 18 carries drawn:
- 0 went 10+ yards
- 1 stopped at or behind the line
- 4 moved the chains
- 2 catches for 13 yds
- First quarterbegan tied 0-0
- 4 for 101
- Second quarterbegan tied 0-0
- 5 for 30, 2 rec234
- Third quarterbegan up 10-3
- 5 for 17
- Fourth quarterbegan up 20-3
- 4 for 14
- FinalW 27-9
a carry, by its yardsa loss, below the linea catcha touchdown
The per-play feed is missing a 13-yard run in the second quarter (the play drew a penalty), which the play text shows; the chart draws the 18 carries it has.
- 1
No gain on 3rd and 2. First quarter, tied 0-0.
- 2
9-yard run on 3rd and 1. Second quarter, down 3-0. Converted.
- 3
5-yard catch on 3rd and 9. Second quarter, down 3-0.
- 4
8-yard catch on 3rd and 7. Second quarter, tied 3-3. Converted.
1020304050
leftmiddleright
a carry, up for a gain and down for a lossa touchdown
Each carry is a stem from the line, in the lane the play text names, sorted shortest to longest. The play text only says left, middle or right, so inside a lane marks are sorted, not placed.
W 45-0 vs MarshallSept. 548 yds11 carries
11 carries for 48 yards.
- 1 went 10+ yards
- 0 stopped at or behind the line
- 1 moved the chains
- First quarterbegan tied 0-0
- 6 for 221
- Second quarterbegan up 17-0
- 4 for 202
- Third quarterbegan up 24-0
- 1 for 6
- FinalW 45-0
a carry, by its yardsa loss, below the linea catcha touchdown
- 1
1-yard run on 3rd and 4. First quarter, tied 0-0.
- 2
10-yard run on 4th and 1. Second quarter, up 17-0. Converted.
1020304050
leftmiddleright
a carry, up for a gain and down for a lossa touchdown
Each carry is a stem from the line, in the lane the play text names, sorted shortest to longest. The play text only says left, middle or right, so inside a lane marks are sorted, not placed.
Signature game
Week 9 · 2026
W 31-17
vs Purdue
96 rush yds (17 car) · 1 TD
With R. Becht — 175 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 68.1 · 27 rush yds (11 car) · 1 TD · C. Wallace — 135 rush yds (22 car) · 1 TD
Signature plays
The plays that mattered most
- Week 9 · Purdue · 2nd and 5 · Q1 · EPA +3.40C.Hansen rush left for 42 yards gain (J.Denson Jr.), out of bounds
- Week 9 · Purdue · 4th and 1 · Q2 · EPA +2.79C.Hansen rush middle for 1 yard gain for a touchdown
- Week 3 · Buffalo · 2nd and 8 · Q3 · EPA +2.72C.Hansen rush left for 12 yards gain for a touchdown
- Week 6 · USC · 2nd and 10 · Q1 · EPA −2.59C.Hansen sacked for loss of 10 yards (K.Urlacher)
- Week 5 · Northwestern · 3rd and 1 · Q2 · EPA +2.53C. Hansen run for 8 yds, for a TD (R. Barker KICK) (J. Kleather KICK)
- Week 6 · USC · 2nd and 3 · Q2 · EPA +2.21C.Hansen rush right for 3 yards gain for a touchdown. The previous play is under automatic review - "Runner broke the plane". CALL OVERTURNED. (Original Play: C.Hansen rush right for 2 yards gain (D.Bryant; D.Stephens II))
4 more plays
- Week 6 · USC · 4th and 1 · Q4 · EPA +2.20C.Hansen rush middle for 5 yards gain (A.VanSumeren)
- Week 9 · Purdue · 3rd and 4 · Q2 · EPA +2.17Becht to Hansen: a 9-yard pass.
- Week 5 · Northwestern · 3rd and 4 · Q4 · EPA +1.86Becht to Hansen: a 9-yard pass.
- Week 2 · Temple · 3rd and 3 · Q4 · EPA +1.85C.Hansen rush right for 9 yards gain (S.Karriem)
Where he ranks
Rush yards374130thAmong 278 backs with 40 or more carries
Yards / carry4.2tied for 220thAmong 278 backs with 40 or more carries
Rush TDs5tied for 56thAmong 278 backs with 40 or more carries
Long run42tied for 132ndAmong 278 backs with 40 or more carries
Carries89tied for 84thAmong 278 backs with 40 or more carries
Rec yards45tied for 181stAmong 273 backs with 40 or more carries
Receptions6tied for 179thAmong 273 backs with 40 or more carries
156th in rushing yards, among all 1,551 FBS players with a rushing row this season, any position
Rushing yards37427th among current FBS players over the whole career (2,143).
Rushing touchdowns5tied for 9th in the Big Ten this season; tied for 28th among current FBS players over the whole career (24).
Conference ranks count every player in the conference with a row in that stat, any position. Career ranks count current FBS players, from the games in our log.
Opponents faced, by strength
Ratings of the games shown run from -12 to +14 points against an average team (SP+ rating of each opponent).
Rushing profile
Rush profile · Shape, efficiency, and ball security
How he gets his yards, and how often it works
87 of 89 carries matched to play-by-play
Success rate
41%87 carriesStuffed
0 or fewer yds7%of carries
6 carries
Grind
1–3 yds47%of carries
41 carries
Chunk
4–9 yds41%of carries
36 carries
Explosive
10+ yds5%of carries
4 carries
7 of 8 (88%) converted on 3rd/4th & short (≤2 to go) · 3 of 6 (50%) scored from inside the 5-yard line
4.2 yds/carry on 89 carries · 5% explosive (10+ yds) · 41% success rate.
Teams and coaches
2023Iowa State7-6HC: Matt Campbell · Balanced, slow tempo
2024Iowa State11-3HC: Matt Campbell · Balanced
2025Iowa State8-4HC: Matt Campbell · Run-leaning
2026Penn State4-4HC: Matt Campbell · Run-leaning
Our ratings
Splits
Home and road splits, scheme and staff
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 8 games
Home vs Road
| YDS/g | YPC | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home5g | 44.0 | 4.4 | 0.6 |
| Road3g | 51.3 | 4.2 | 0.7 |
First half vs Second half
| YDS/g | YPC | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-77g | 39.7 | 4.2 | 0.6 |
| Weeks 8+1g | 96.0 | 5.6 | 1.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Matt Campbell
Pass share
46.5%
251 pass / 289 run
Plays / game
67.5
8 games
Team sack rate
4.7%
278 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
All-Conference
Picked for an all-conference team by at least one selector.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Four seasons, two schools
2026 is in progress.
- 2026 Penn State CampbellYear 4 · 8 games
- Jan 2026 Entered the transfer portalIowa State to Penn State
- 2025 Iowa State CampbellYear 3 · 11 gamesAll-conference
- 2024 Iowa State CampbellYear 2 · 14 games
- 2023 Iowa State CampbellYear 1 · 10 games
- High school Lakeville SouthLakeville, MN · Class of 2023Three-star, No. 958 in the 2023 class. Signed with Iowa State.
Moves
- Transferred from Iowa State to Penn State, Jan 4, 2026.
A stat line in 43 games over four seasons.
The week the volume broke through — put up 96 yds vs Purdue.Purdue · W 31-172026
2023 10 games
- Signed with Iowa StateThree-star, out of Lakeville South
2025 11 games
- All-Big 12second
2026 8 games
- Transferred to Penn Statefrom Iowa State
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
ALL-BIG 12 · 2ND TEAM
All-Big 12 2nd team (2025)
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2025
Iowa State
Played for 1 head coach at 2 schools: Matt Campbell.
Next stop · Transfer
Transferred to Penn State
2023–25Iowa State
2026Penn State